Seducing Ariana
by Raevyn Lolliette
Summary: After a near death experience, Devyn Markis decides that he need someone to take care of his kids should he die, so he decides that marrying his best friend is the best option. What happens when he accidentally falls for her? Rated M just in case3
1. Chapter 1

Seducing Ariana

Chapter 1:

The Proposal Idea

My life was a normal life. I grew up in the smallest town of the smallest county in rual Mississippi. I had a conservative stay home mother who I hardly ever could deal with in peace, and a happy-go lucky dad who always worked hard to make sure that we all had food on the table and lived a comfortable life style. I had two siblings, both younger than me; a sister who lived her life aspiring to be me, and a brother, so much younger than me that we never did get along. I lived as an overweight goth nerd girl with an emotionally scarred past that rooted it's way all the way back to Mooreville, Mississippi, and a had a horrifying paranoia of religion.

I was never liked in Middle School. The kids there tortured me to tears everyday that I went. The friends that I thought I had, metaphorically stabbed me in the back every chance they got. Being the naieve girl I was, I forgave them. I was so innocent; too blind to see thier wicked ways.

When I started high school, all of that began to change. My personality bloomed as more and more friends flocked to me. I was surprised; nobody had ever treated me as nicely as this. I always had more guy friends than girl friends, but now it was the opposite. The people I chose to hang out with were strong in their own ways and had battles of their own that rivaled mine.

From the ages fifteen to seventeen, my mother and I fought; I for my freedom, she for the chains that she had always bonded me with to her religious world. In the end, I won. My freedom was mine, and I did with it as I pleased.

I graduated highschool, and went on to college to become an art major and get a business degree. My parents were proud. The child that they thought would never amount to anything, was now able to support herself. I opened up an anime shop and cosplay shop in Corinth, Mississippi with some of my best girl friends, and I started my manga, the one I'd always dreamed of starting since I was in highschool. The shyness along with the weight had gone from me. I was as thin as I was outgoing.

I had never dated much in my years of existence. The closest thing I had to a boyfriend was my five guy friends that crashed at my house every saturday night to watch anime with me. But it didn't matter to me, I was happy, at least I thought I was.

One day my average, ordinary life changed with two words.

"Marry me..."

My eyes blinked in surprise as I looked at my guy friend from across the table in the chinese resteraunt that we sat at.

"What?" I managed to squeeze out through the confusion clouding my usually receptive mind.

"I'm serious, Ariana..." his blue eyes looked me dead in my hazel ones. We had been talking about him being sent off on his last mission for the military , and how he had nearly lost his life. I kept his two children the entire time he was gone, because their mother had abandoned them along with him a year or two ago and nobody knew where she had gone. I took them often to visit him until he recovered, because I wanted to see him and because they were such little things and convinced that Daddy would leave them too.

"I don't know what to say Devyn..." I told him at last, then trying to lighten the situation I added, "Marrying me is a high price to pay for the wellfare of you kids..." His eyes grew sad and I immediately regretted it. He missed his ex-wife Alessa greatly. She had sent him divorce papers through the mail, but hadn't shown for court. I wasn't surprised; she had always been a coward.

"I'm...sorry Devyn-" I started but was cut off with a wave of his hand.

"It doesn't matter. All I know is that I've known you for a while, and nobody I know is more capable of caring for Anna and Mori if I should pass away. All these years, even with Alessa I leaned on you and you held me and my marriage together." I winced at this, "Okay... well except for the last part..." he added quietly. I nodded in understanding.

"Why don't you keep on looking for love? You'll never be happy with me." I told him as I drank my Dr. Pepper though a straw. The astonished stare he gave me made me squirm in my seat.

"Ari, I've known you since highschool. You've always seem to find a way to make things better. You have this wierd gift on bringing light to dark situations and you're stronger than any woman I've ever met. The only person that made me happier to be around was Alessa and that was at the first of my marriage. And besides," he added with a crooked grin, "Anna and Mori love you." I couldn't help but smile at the last part, but I pushed it back as quickly as it appeared.

"I don't know..." I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as his eyes darkened.

"Is it because that you don't think you can make me happy or is it because...you know I can't make you happy?" I glared at him. He was trying to guilt-trip me into marrying him.

"You don't want to marry me for love, you want to marry me so that I become the beneficiary for your kids if you die. So don't make this sound like I'm rejecting you. I don't expect you to love me if we did get married. So the subject of making each other happy is non-existant..." I folded my arms and he sighed.

"I didn't mean it that way, Ari...I was trying to ask you if you were still looking for love." I rolled my eyes at him as he stared at me sheepishly. This conversation was just as uncomfortable for him as it was for me.

"Of course not! I gave up on dating years ago." I sipped my drink as he laughed.

"I remember that night well..." he grinned, "I believe your melodramatic words were something like, 'Doomed forever to be a lone swan.'" He chuckled again as I threw my napkin at him.

"I was depressed you asshole. I say wierd things when I'm depressed." I tried to be mad, but I couldn't help the smile that covered my face. Suddenly I was laughing too.

"See now, Ari? Everyday could be like this. Please bear my children." he tried to keep a straight face as he grabbed for my hands. I couldn't help but smile. He was using a Miroku line from Inu-yasha; an anime I had loved since I was in highschool. I raised an thin black-dyed eyebrow.

"Keep using lines like that, and you'll get a Sango reaction..." I laughed mentioning Sango, the girl that usually slaps around Miroku. He winced playfully.

"Alright, alright fine. No slapping. That crap hurts." We both laughed. I looked up after a minute and his face was serious again.

"Please, Ari? I promise I'll do whatever's in my power to make you the happiest girl I can." his blue eyes pleaded with me and I sighed as I took a drink of my Dr. Pepper again. What could it hurt after all? I would never find love and my parents were ragging me about getting married. We were best friends, it would work out nice for the both of us.

"Fine..." I said and a shocked look passed over his face and then he smiled at me.

"You won't regret it, Ari. I promise!" he grinned as he planted a big wet kiss on my cheek.

"Ewww..." I groaned, wiping at it, "You slobbered on me..."

"Get used to it babe. You have two kids now. They slobber a lot." he told me jokingly with a wink and I winced, afraid of the future's oncoming events.

**Author's Note:**

** Hey all3! Crimson here again. I hoped you liked the first chapter of Seducing Ariana. I bet some of you were wondering how this story came about. Usually I write fanfiction, so most of you that have read my other stories are like "What the friggen crap is she doing writing an original story?" Lolz^^ Well, for those of you, (or any of you) who have read any of my stories and you people who randomly found this one, I watched I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry before I went to bed, and what you're reading is an elaborate version of my dream. A **_**really**_** elaborate version. See, in my dream Devyn's name was Chaaka..._...Yeaaaahhhh...I know...Don't ask questions. Just go with it. Lolz^^ I figured the name Devyn was more romantic and less monkey-like...**

**So anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please Review and I'll see you in the next chapter!**

**- Crimson**


	2. Chapter 2

Seducing Ariana

Chapter 2:

Our Lives

Six months later, in December we were married. We had a wedding at night that I demanded and it surprised us by snowing. All my goth-clad bridesmaids looked beautiful against the snow and the night even as they threw birdseed at us. My two new kids, Anna and Mori smiled up at me as Devyn pulled me into a car that said "Newlyed Vampires; Warning: She bites." with a heart beside it. Nobody knew the secret behind the true reason we married.

I moved in with him and the kids. Devyn and I had separate bedrooms because I couldn't stand anyone touching me when I slept and I had four cats that slept with me.

Devyn had really never met my cats because when he came over, they usually hid because they hated company. The day I was moving in I brought in the cages and Devyn stared at me in disbelief.

"You brought the cats." he sighed, "Why did you bring those little devils?" I glared at him so hard that he stiffened as if Satan himself had just popped out of my forehead.

"Those '_devils_' are my babies. As my husband, you'll just have to deal with it, _hunny_." His eyes widened when I added, "And so help me, if any of them come up hurt or missing, _I will have your head_." With a glare I set the cages on my bed and opened them.

From that day on, Cats were a revered species in my house.

Every morning, when Devyn was off duty, he would wake me up and the kids up and take them to school on my way to work. I'd work all day and then come home to my playful househusband saying, "How was your day, hunny?" and Mori and Anna would attack my legs shouting my name. I'd laugh and hug them as I sent them on to finish their homework, then later when Devyn and I were alone, we both would recount our days. On the weekends we often took the children out to the movie theater or skating or whatever other spontaneous activities crossed our mind.

When Devyn went on missions, I usually took off from the Anime Shop I owned to watch the kids. We would spend all day playing silly little board games or later when I bought Anna a Wii and Mori an Xbox we'd find something to play on there. Then when Devyn came home, we would bake all day and have a messed up feast when he walked into the door.

As for our "love life" It was still non-existant. Even though for the public, Devyn and I kissed and held hands-you know, couple stuff- in private we lived still very affectionate friend-based lives. It actually made things very ackward when we had to kiss and act romantically to each other. There was no cuddling, kissing, and expecially no sex. Luckily, he never asked that of me. We were as we were before we married; best friends. We preferred it that way. Everything was great and he did his earnest best to make sure that I was happy. It didn't take long for a year to go by, or one after that.

` "Hey, Ariana! Wake up, Damn you!" Devyn shook me angrily, "You're gonna be late for work and the kids are gonna be late for school and you're going to yell at me. Now GET. UP." He jerked the covers off of me and pulled me to my feet.

"Five more minutes..." I pleaded groggily to him.

"No. Now go get dressed." his voice was firm and my shoulders slumped in defeat as I ran a hand through my touseled black hair.

"Fine. Fine. I'm up..." I walked over to the closet and began to dress. Fifteen minutes and two coffees later, I was up and ready to go ushering the kids cheerfully out of the door while they groaned my name trying to get me to shut up because they were tired too and my cheerful voice was annoying. Anna was now six and Mori was five. They always fought, but tried their best to keep their peace around me. I guess they were afraid that if they were bad, I'd leave too.

"Goodbye, my love." he smirked at me as I was about to shut the door as he did everymorning. I smiled cheerfully at him.

"Bye, Asshole." I shot him a peace sign as he shot me a fake hurt look.

The drive to the school was long as always, but the two little hugs I got before they jumped out of the car made the trip more than worth it. With a smile I started on the way to work, thinking about the products and things that were supposed to be coming in today and thinking to myself how well everything would sell. The thing I didn't know was that today would be different than any other day I'd had, because that day was they day that everything changed...

**Author's Note:**

** Dun Dun Dunnnnnnn! Cliffie! XD! I have no natural sense of how to end chapters so please bear with me. Lolz^^ This will hopefully be the shortest chapter so for those of you who hate me for not writing a longer one *bow* Please forgive me ... **

**Oh and Ariana's love for cats is based off mine. I friggen love kitty cats. I have four too. Their names are Smokey, Sassi, Momo (aka: Morris, but I thought that was stupid), and Yoda (Yes the little green space monkey from Star Wars) (XD) (I wanted to name it Ash but everytime I said it, my little sister giggled. =_=...)**

**Oh and I post these at school, so any of you who would like to get in touch with me can get ahold of me on my Ani-hub account.**

**Just go to and type in Aimi in the search box.**

**If you see a description that involves Strawberry Jelly. That's me.**

**XD!**

**Anyways, I'll see you all in the next chapter! Until then, bye^^**

**-Crimson**


	3. Chapter 3

Seducing Ariana

Chapter 3:

The Day Everything Changed

**Recap:**

_"The thing I didn't know was that today would be different than any other day I'd had, because that day was they day that everything changed..."_

All I remember was darkness. Lots of darkness, and my name being whispered out in a cracked voice, like it was crying. It told me that it didn't want me to die. That it needed me. I was tired-so tired. All I wanted to do was stay like I was and rest. But then I heard the words, "Ari please don't leave us!" At that my eyes snapped open. Everything was blurry at first, then came into focus. Devyn was there. Tears ran down his cheeks, and his eyes had purple bruise-like bags under them, like he hadn't slept in a while. Anna and Mori were beside him, him, holding onto my hand, with tears rolling down their cute little child faces.

"Devyn..." I croaked. My thoat felt dry and cracked, as if I hadn't used it in a year or so. His eyes widened when I croaked that and he jumped on me instantly in a huge bear hug.

"Ariana!" he cried, "Ariana, you're okay!" He pulled back and wiped his tears off with the back of his arm. He smiled at me tenderly and my eyes narrowed in confusion. But before I could say anything, Anna and Mori were in my lap yelling "Ari! Ari!" and sobbing. I sat up the best I could, with the help of Devyn and the moving hospital bed and pulled them to me in a hug.

"Hey Anna." I kissed her head, "Hey, Mori." I kissed his.

"Mommy, I thought you were gonna leave us." Mori wiped at his nose with the back of his hand.

"That's Ari, Stupid. Mommy left. Mommy is never coming back. Ari will always love us, won't you, Ari?" Anna's face met mine, her gaze pleading.

"Of course I will, Sweetheart..." I ran my hands through their brown hair as I forgot to scold Anna about calling Mori stupid.

"Uh...kids...Why don't you go outside and play with Grandma, so me and Ari can talk?" they nodded hesitantly and scooted out of my lap.

"I love you, Ari." Mori said over his shoulder as he wiped a tear from his eyes.

"I love you, too." I croaked once more. Then after the door shut, I turned to Devyn who handed me a glass of water.

"What happened...? Why am I here...?" I was finally able to ask in a normal voice after draining the whole glass and another, but my question's answer was cut off as suddenly the doctor came into the room.

"Hello, Mrs. Markis. How are you feeling today?" the old doctor asked formally. I blinked.

"I'm tired, confused as to why I'm here, "My stomach grumbled and I looked up sheepishly, "And hungry." But there was no laughter as I expected.

Devyn was looking at me in surprise.

"You don't remember what happened, Mrs. Markis?" the doctor raised a thin grey eyebrow. I shook my head.

"No, I don't..." I told him honestly.

"Well what all do you remember, Ari?" Devyn asked, patiently stroking my hand. I closed my eyes, trying to pull up the last thing I remember. A flash entered my mind and I saw myself waving at the children as they went into the school and then I drove off, on the highway, on my way to work. Then the image was gone.

"I took Anna and Mori to school and I was in the car going to work. That's all..." I told them, "Why? What happened."

"Mrs. Markis, you were in a terrible traffic accident." My eyes widened as he continued, "You were hit by an eighteen wheeler and were cut out of the car in an unconsious state." The confusion that hit my mind was dizzying.

"I...was?" I asked looking at Devyn who nodded.

"And you've been in a coma for two and a half weeks." the doctor added, "You had many lacerations covering your body, but none were deep and only the few on your abdomen will leave scars. Now you've woken up like nothing ever happened minus a small bit of memory loss. I'd say you have a miracle on your hands Mrs. Markis."

I could only blink. I had been out for two weeks?

"We're going to conduct a few tests," he said, "Just to see if everything is okay and then you should be good to go home. You'll just have to take it slow for a few days." I nodded as he left the room. Devyn suddenly stood up and looked down at me, a determined look on his face.

I stared back in confusion.

"Devyn...what-" suddenly I felt something wet on my lips and my eyes widened as I realized it was Devyn. Realizing that it was probably only for the world to see though the peephole in the door, I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed back. I felt the bed dip as he sat on it mid-kiss and put his hand on the other side of my body for support. Suddenly he tilted his head for a better angle, now able to kiss me deeper. He kissed me roughly, unlike he usually does and I squeaked when I felt his tongue on my lips. He used the surprised opening of my mouth to push it through my teeth and deepen the kiss once again. I grunted in confusion. He'd never behaved like this. His lips devoured mine hungrily and his tongue danced and acted like it wanted to taste every square inch of my mouth. I pulled back, dazed and breathing heavily.

"What was that for?" I asked him, my arms still around his neck, "I don't think anyone's watching-" I paused as I saw the peephole was closed with cloth, I turned back to him and he stared at me intensely. If there was nobody to witness...then why...?

"Devyn...?" I asked as I began to remove my arms from his neck. He inhaled softly and stopped my arms from completely removing themselves.

"Ari...I almost lost you...I thought at any minute that you were going to die in a coma." he said, his eyes averted nervously downwards as he softly stroked my arms that now remained around his neck.

"Are...you okay...?" I bent my head downwards to get him to look into my eyes. He did, then threw his head back and laughed.

"You wake up in a hospital to find out that you almost died and you ask _me_ if _I'm_ okay..." he shook his head, his brown hair dancing about it.

"Well are you...?" I lifted an eyebrow.

"I'm fine you nincompoop." he laughed before capturing my lips with his again. I gasped and jumped back.

"Devyn..." he didn't seem very pleased with me pulling back.

"What?" he asked, like nothing was wrong.

"Why're you so...affectionate...? There's nobody watching..." I told him matter-of-factly.

"I love you..." he said, in the same manner as before. Suddenly I had a revelation. I couldn't believe that I hadn't noticed it before...

"Cameras...?" I mouthed to him.

"No." he shook his head, "No cameras." Okay... now I was confused.

"Then why...?" He sighed.

"It's a long story..." he told me as I removed my arms from his neck.

"Well," I shrugged as I looked around, "It looks like we have time..." he sighed heavily like the world was being lifted from his shoulders.

"When the hosiptal called and told me the news, I rushed down here to the hospital expecting the worst. I was horribly upset, which is understandable. When I first saw you, you were covered in a towel, by a bucket of bloody water that was your own. They had just finished cleaning you and dumping the used water into the last bucket. You were so pale..." he paused to stroke my cheek, "I thought you were dead."

I nodded for him to continue.

"But then I noticed your chest moving up and down. It was faint...but it was still there...So I left to go pick up the kids and I left them at my mother's house. I didn't have the heart to tell them just yet. So I came back and stayed with you the whole night. You were so still, so fragile-looking. I didn't know what to do. The doctor said that when you woke that it was possible that you could be a vegatable if you woke up at all, which wasn't exactly reassuring."

He paused to take a drink of his soda.

"Then I noticed something. As I held you hand as you rested I began to have flashbacks of highschool. Of all the fun we had together. Like that time that I convinced you to get on the trampoline with me. It was one of the worst ideas that I ever had." He laughed heartily then grew serious again.

"Then I thought back on the times I had with Alessa. Some better than others. Like our first date, and when she gave birth to Anna and Mori, and all of that."

I nodded, waiting for him to stop beating around the bush and just say what he meant already.

"Then I thought back on the times that I've had with you. Making you laugh. My stupidity being the reason you laughed." he paused as I laughed at this, "Watching you grow from a high-school girl to a business woman in no time it seemed. Looking on as you played with my Anna and Mori in my backyard. That time your tripp pants fell down in the mall after you lost all of that weight. The times you listened to me talk about all of my problems. Eating popcorn together as we watched Anime. It's all such warm and familiar memories."

"Then when Alessa left me, I was so depressed. You offered to let me stay at your house, but I wouldn't so you convinced me to let you take the kids for a while. Then after I got myself together, you brought them back over and brought me dinner every night for a year after that. Then the time when my helicopter was shot down and I was in the hospital, you were with me the entire time you could be, and when you weren't you were tending to the kids. When I was finally able to come home, you stayed and babysitted for me."

I winced at the memory of him in the hospital. Those few months were hell for me. I wondered every night and day if he would live through it. Then my attention snapped back to Devyn who smiled down at me as I looked up at him.

"The night that changed everything was the night I tucked Anna and Mori into bed and they asked where you were. I told them that you were at your house and they asked why weren't you there with them. I had to explain that you were just helping me out until I could get well enough to care for them myself. That now I was well enough and you wouldn't be over as much. Mori began to cry and Anna asked why you couldn't be thier mommy. That night gave me the idea. My finance company had been on my tail to get a beneficary and you were always there for me and the kids, and they wanted you around all of the time. I gave it some thought and a week later, I asked you out for dinner at the Chinese Buffet." He pushed some stray strands of hair away from my face.

"And-dear God-the time I spent married to you made my original marriage seem like the fake one. Only there was something missing. I couldn't figure out what it was. Then, the day that I sat here holding onto your pale fragile hand thinking about the past, it dawned on me. I loved you. I always had. I enjoy seeing your face in the morning when you wake up and throw things at me yelling that it's a saturday and I wasn't to interrupt you sleeping on a saturday. I dread going away from you even a single day. Watching you in an oversized shirt with your hair in a bun tucking my children into bed is the most beautiful sight I see on a daily basis. And our wedding night-" he paused as a look of wonder passed his face, "I was surprised that I didn't notice how much I loved you that day. You were so beautiful, like a goth goddess." He ran his fingers through my black hair.

"The sad thing is that it took me nearly losing you to realize how much I loved you. When you weren't the constant thing in my life anymore I couldn't stand myself. For the first few days, I sat on your bed and held every one of your cats forcefully in my lap and petted them for the longest time." I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"You hate my cats." I told him matter of factly.

"Yes, but I love you." He pressed a tender kiss to my forehead, "And you may not love me now, but one day you might, and the day you decide you do-no-even now, my heart is yours. If I had to choose between Alessa and you, I'd choose you. No contest..." He finished his explanation, leaving me speechless and my heart pounding in my chest. He loved me. I tried but I couldn't wrap my head around it.

"You...love me...?" like before I was hit with a wall of dizzying confusion. He laughed nervously.

"Yes, you silly girl! I love you." I could only gape at him in disbelief, "But don't worry your pretty little head. I won't start seducing you until you come home..." He winked provocatively at me and I laughed.

**Author's Note:**

**This Chapter was very dramatic and sudden considering, all I've given you before was a base time outline of their lives. I hoped Devyn's **_**long**_** speech sort of explained to you thier past relationship because that was what I meant to do and the reason it's so long. **

**I chose a car accident because **

**A) I needed a reason for Devyn to fall hopelessly in love with her and**

**B) Because car accidents are unpredictable and can happen at anytime**

**Though it was dramatic, I hope you all enjoyed it anyways^^**

**The thing I did like about this chapter was it's length though. At least I managed to get that right this time^^**

**So please review and I'll see you in Chapter 4!**

**-Crimson**


	4. Chapter 4

Seducing Ariana

Chapter 4:

Fear Of Intimacy

A day later, I was sent home to continue my everyday things, only my friends Serenity and Ravyn wouldn't let me come back to work yet. So I sat at home in my bed, because everytime I tried to get out of my bed, I got yelled at by Devyn or Anna. Mori was the alarm that went off when I walked into a room as he yelled my name loudly.

One night when I snuck into the kitchen for a midnight snack, instead I found Devyn staring at me intensely from across the kitchen. My eyes widened. I was caught halfways into the refrigerator.

"I...uh...wanted something to drink..." I told him lamely. He crossed his arms, tapped his foot and tsked at me. I sighed in defeat.

"Fine fine...I know...I'm going back to bed..." I replied grumpily as I shut the refrigerator. To my surprise, he stepped in front of me.

"Oh contrare, Mademoiselle." he told me, a sexy gleam in his eye, "But I do believe that if you are well enough to walk, that you are well enough to dance." Me being the oblivious thing I am stared at him blankly.

"Why the hell would I dance at two o'clock in the morning?" I raised an eyebrow at him as I watched the power of my bluntness deflate him. He sighed heavily at me.

"I was trying to be romantic and mysterious and ask you to dance at the same time. But then you had to go ruin it with words." he rolled his eyes and I gave him another blank oblivious stare.

"Well I find you standing in a dark kitchen at two o'clock in the morning staring at me, creepy." He glared at me in resolve.

"Just shut up and get over here." he told me. I hesitated because of my unfamiliarity of these kinds situations.

"Um...how about I take a rain check on that dancing thing-" I started but was cut off swiftly as he hit a button on the stereo beside him and it played a slow country song softly as not to wake the kids. My eyes widened as he walked towards me, pulling me close to him. He moved both of my hands behind his neck and then moved both of his hands to the small of my back; his fingers moving in little massaging circles to relax me. He began to sway to the beat softly and I ackwardly tried to move with him. I didn't have that much experience in dancing, but I did my best.

"You know, you don't have to do this..." I told him softly as I looked up into his eyes.

"Do what...?" he asked just as softly as his gaze seemed to tear through me.

"Pretend you love me. You were probably just stressed when you told me that other stuff. I would have probably reacted the same way if you had almost died, so I totally understand-" he cut me off with a shake of his head.

"Stop talking, Ariana..." he told me, "You're ruining the moment..."

"What moment? You're forcing me to dance to a depressing country song in the middle of the kitchen and-mmh!" he cut me off this time by jerking me closer and planting his lips over mine. I froze in surprise. I didn't really know how to react when he was doing it for himself and not for other people. He began suckling on my bottom lip, trying to get me to react. Finally able to break my stupor at the feel of the gentle tugging of my lower lip, I pressed my lips back against his. That seemed to be all the reinforcement he needed. He pulled back before tilting his head and pecking my lips once more. His eyes met mine with such intensity that I felt like I had shrank against him.

"I can make you love me, Ariana. It's just gonna take a lot of effort on my part to convice you that I can make you happy." he used his hands on my back to pull me closer so he could rest his forehead on mine, "And I apologize for my quickness in all of this, I just figured I had wasted enough time." I stroked his face softly with my thumb.

"Devyn, you _do_ make me happy. I've _never_ had as much fun as I have here with you and Anna and Mori. I'm just..._surprised_...I guess is the word. You've never liked me as more than a friend, and even though we're married I never expected that you'd ever fall for me." The words had left my mouth before I could stop them. I looked up at him, my eyes wide as he grinned down at me. My words seemed to have made him very happy. He leaned down once more to capure my lips with his, and this time instead of just firming my lips onto his, I actually kissed back. He groaned and reangled his head to kiss me more deeply as he wrapped his arms tightly around my waist. He was at least a foot taller than me so it was kind of hard for me to reach him when my feet were flat. He swiped his tongue across my bottom lip and I opened my mouth to let him enter.

I had never felt this way before. The butterflies in my stomach seemed to cloud my thoughts as well. I moaned softly in ecstacy as his tongue rubbed mine sensually. That only seemed to give him more confidence inside my mouth. The next thing I knew, my knees gave and I was up in his arms as he carried me bridal style over to the couch breaking the kiss only once to set me down on the couch. He sat down and then pulled me into his lap to resume making out with me. After a while, we both pulled back, our breaths shallow and quick. I leaned against him tiredly as he gently stroked my hair.

"I love you, Ari..." he whispered against my ebony locks. I didn't respond to that. I didn't know how to. All I knew is that I had just made out with my best friend.

"Don't worry..." he told me as if reading my mind, "I know to you that this doesn't mean anything relationshipwise to you just yet. But as for now you just made me the happiest man in the world." I looked up at him to find him grinning at me with his red kiss-swollen lips. He traced the outline of my face with his fingers. "Just let me love you. Everything will work itself out from there." I nodded, unable to say anything else or do anything else other than sit in his lap, staring up at him.

Then next few months were like this. When the kids were gone, he seized every opportunity to make our lives together romantic. It was very ackward for me, but he was kind, gentle, and patient; unlike any man I've ever known. All he ever asked of me, was to let him convince me that I needed him as much as he needed me. "Because," he had said with a laugh, "If I can't even get my best friend to fall for me, I'm a failure as a man."

I really didn't know how to act around him when he was trying to romance me. Unlike our normal conversations, I was quiet and reserved. I had dated before, but it was nothing like waking up to a bouquet of imported black roses in a red and black vase next to a beautiful new black goth dress complete with a black lace parasol.

He stopped trying to kiss me the night he leaned down to kiss me and I accidently recoiled from his touch. I apologized heavily but he told me that it was alright; that I wasn't ready for him to kiss me often. He said he didn't mind, but his kind eyes betrayed him; hinting a bit of melancholy in their sapphire depths. All I could do was pray that he understood that I would never hurt him purposely.

One night, he dropped the kids off at his mothers and decided that we should go on a moonlit picnic in the park. I said that I didn't really want to, but he insisted, so I ended up going.

We sat on the ground on a black lace tablecloth facing each other; he in a tight black shirt and jeans, and me in my new goth dress holding onto my parasol. I was ravenous as I waited for him to pull out the fully cooked meal I had to smell all the way up here in the car.

Finally he did, and I sighed in ecstacy when the first bite of chicken hit my tongue. He watched me as I ate, seemingly satisfied by my reaction. Though I was concentrated on my meal, an eerie ackward silence sat between us.

"So...did you hear about Anna's first grade play?" I asked trying to strike up a conversation between us. To my relief, a smile lit up his face.

"Only every friggen day since she learned about it. She's estatic about being a pioneer girl because she thinks the indians were 'yucky'" I tried but couldn't stifle a laugh.

"Well, at least she has character." I offered with a grin, as I wiped at the corners of my mouth.

"Yeah..." he nodded in agreement before his face turned serious, "But Ariana, I didn't bring you here to talk about the kids..." My face dropped when he said my full first name. He was going to bring up the newly forbidden subject I had been avoiding. I tried to hide my wince.

"Oh...?" I played my dumb card, "Then what did you bring me here for? Besides this delectable meal of course." I threw the compliment in, for good measure hoping that he would just drop the subject. Instead, he leaned over to me so that his face was inches from mine. I tried my hardest not to pull back, but I couldn't completely stop myself from averting my gaze a bit. He grabbed my chin with his thumb and forefinger gently, making me look into his eyes. He searched mine for a few seconds before his darkened.

"Nothing's changed, has it? You still don't want me the way I want you." I didn't miss his strained voice or the sudden tightness of his jaw. I didn't know what to say, so once again, I looked away from his pleading gaze. That certainly didn't help the situation any. My lack of an answer only seemed to make him angry.

"Just answer me this simple question, Ariana." he told me, his voice was tight and controlled, "Don't you feel anything about me anymore?" My gaze snapped to him.

"Of course I do. You're-" I swallowed loudly, "You're my best friend." That answer didn't seem to satisfy him at all.

"I've pushed you further away from me, haven't I?" the devastated look on his face was truly heartbreaking. I was surprised.

"No-I-" I was cut off as he pressed his lips against mine suddenly. I closed my eyes and kissed back, praying that he didn't notice my hesitation. If it was another of his usual liplocks it would only last a couple of seconds; a minute max, I told myself. Only, I noticed with disdain, this wasn't one of his gentle kisses. It was desperate and demanding yet still had a dizzying effect that if I was standing up, would have sent me to my knees. I may not be attracted to this man romantically, but his kissing was excellent. His soft tongue dipped into my mouth suddenly without warning and his body moved to rub against mine in a way that left a gentle pooling of heat in my lower belly. He left my mouth to suckle on my neck and I gasped out his name as I felt all of the blood rush from my brain to accomodate my hormones. This was bad. If I didn't push him off quick, there wouldn't be enough sense left in me to resist.

"Devyn!" I cried as I put my hands on his shoulders and pushed him back from me. The lust in his eyes was unmistakable but was quickly replaced by shame when he realized what had just happened.

"Ariana-" his voice seemed pained, "Ariana-God, I'm so sorry...I don't know what came over me...I-" he opened his mouth again, closed it. He was at a loss for words just like I was.

I stiffened in shock when I felt something wet hit my skin right above the neckline on my dress. At first I thought it was raining, but as another hit about the same place I knew exactly what was going on. I reached up to touch my face. Tears streamed down like rivers under my eyes, smugding my makeup. I didn't know why I was crying, but I was. I suddenly understood why he looked so ashamed. He thought he'd hurt me.

"Devyn...-" I reached out to touch his face, but he jerked back like I had shocked him, "I'm sorry, I-" His gaze snapped to me so quickly that I paused.

"You're sorry...? I almost just raped you, Ariana!" he looked appaulled. We both stared at each other in shock. Then with after a few seconds of a pause, I burst out in laughter. He stared at me like I had just turned into a cow and sprouted three heads.

"It wouldn't have been rape." I laughed, "I was just as into it as you were. In fact if I wasn't terrified of losing my virginity I'd have let you drag me back to the house and make love to me to your heart's content." My lustful confession exited my lips before I realized what I had just said. A crippling heat wave washed over my face and a sense of shock numbed me. A few seconds later, I found myself with my knees pulled up to my chest as I hid my face in my hands which I hid in my fluffy skirt.

Apparently my little confession lightened the situation considerably. The next thing I knew, he was laughing too and trying to pry my hands from my face.

"Ariana! Come on! It wasn't that bad!" he chuckled as he kept gently tugging at my hands.

"Ugh! Gods! I can't believe I just told you that!" I screeched as I held fast to my grip. He pulled at my hands until my head was laying in his lap. Finally he succeeded in separating the two.

"See now...?" he stroked my heated face with the back of his hand, "That wasn't so bad, now was it?" I glared up at him.

"Yes it was!" I tried to cover my face again, but he held fast to my wrists.

"But you're so cute when you're embarrassed." he let go of my wrists and began to stroke my hair away from my face. A long comfortable silence passed between us. Well, that is, until he had to ruin it.

"So...all these years and you've never-"

"No." I cut him off before he could say 'never had sex.'

"Why not?" the question was simple enough. I looked up at him.

"Because all the guys cared about was getting into a girl's pants. I swore I'd never be one of those stupid girls who let the guy ravish them before the guy left them. And now though the concept of sex seems welcoming, I'm terrified of losing my virginity." Even I could feel the sincerity seeping through my voice. I tried to read the expression on his face but to my dismay I couldn't.

"Well, you won't be so terrified when the right moment comes along, with the right guy. It'll seem natural. I can speak from experience." He looked down at me as I raised an eyebrow.

"You had sex with a guy?" his eyes narrowed in disgust.

"No! You know what I meant..." he glared at me before letting his gaze soften back into a peaceful expression as I laughed.

"If you found a guy that you'd be happier with, I'd let you go, you know," he told me suddenly, his face instantly tight. I sighed.

"Sorry. I'm happily married. You're not getting rid of me that easily, bub." I poked him in the nose with a grin. The smile that lit up his face was almost blinding against the moonlight night.

"So, will you still at least consider growing to love me?" he asked.

"I already was. I've been trying really hard, you know...It's so easy to hug you and all of that, but when it gets down to the romantic stuff it's hard not to pull back a little, I mean, we've known each other since we were highschoolers and have been friends all of this time. The whole concept of love is still so new to me. I never know how to react." I confessed to him easily as he continued to stroke my hair.

"Maybe one day we'll get past this..." he sighed staring off into the distance, "Maybe one day I'll get past wanting you as badly as I do." I sent him a look of disbelief and he nodded.

"Sometimes I toss and turn in my bed for hours before I fall asleep, wishing you were lying next to me so I can hear you breathe. When you're really close to me, my desire just to reach out and touch you is so bad that it hurts, but I know I can't risk pushing you any further away from me...I _need_ you like I need air...What happened tonight is just a result of all those surpressed emotions...and I'm still sorry about what I did..." his confession was just as heartfelt as my own, then he added with a crooked grin, "Even if all it did was make you horny." I squealed in rage and embarrassment as I covered my face once more.

"Shut up!" I smacked his arm and he laughed so heartily that my own chest squeezed in joy even if I was embarrassed as all hell.

After he finished laughing we sat in silence once more, his fingers laced through mine as we enjoyed the night air. After a whle he sighed.

"I suppose it's time to be getting back. Mom's going to be wondering where the hell I am." he looked upset that our time alone was about to end and I felt my heart drop in dissapointment as well, to my surprise.

He stood up and then pulled me to my feet. We packed all of our things in the basket and started heading to the car. He laced his fingers through mine once more and I winced, waiting for the feeling of dread to settle in. To my immediate surprise, all I felt was the contentness that sat somewhere deep in my chest. That was when it hit me that the ackwardness and the unfamiliarity was gone. All that was left was the unmistakable feel of the stronger connection between us. Suddenly, I realized that this night was neccassary. That without it, even though it was a messed up huge mass of confusion, we would have never have made it past what we had been going through for the last few months. I had done it. I couldn't help but smile to myself as I realized that I had just done what I thought was impossible. I had just taken the first step in conquering my fear of intimacy.

**Author's Note:**

**Hey all^^ I hope you enjoyed chapter 4, and I hope it wasn't too sappy. I needed them to make some progress in their relationship, so that's why I wrote it the way I did. Hopefully, things will get a bit more interesting in the next chapter3. So anyways, I'll see you all in Chappy 5!**

**Crimson**


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